Day 273 Reading Schedule: Esther 6~10 

Esther 6: Mordecai is Honored

[Summary]

In this chapter, King Ahasuerus cannot sleep at night, so while reading the chronicles, he learns that Mordecai saved the king’s life by reporting a plot to assassinate him, and that he received no reward for saving the king’s life (verses 1-3). The king happened to know that Haman was in the palace, so he called him and asked what kind of reward would be given to the one who pleased the king. Haman mistakenly thought that the one who pleased the king was himself, so he answered that it would be good to take the royal robe, the crown, and the king’s horse and announce it to all the people (verses 4-9). The king ordered Haman to honor Mordecai and announce it to all the people. After carrying out the king’s order, Haman became troubled when he realized that his plan to kill Mordecai had been seriously hindered. Haman's wife and friends were worried that Haman would not be able to defeat the Jews, and while they were talking, the king's eunuchs came and took Haman to Queen Esther's banquet (vv. 10-14).

Esther 7: Haman's Death

[Summary]

The king and Haman attended the second banquet hosted by Queen Esther. As the banquet was getting more and more heated, the king told Esther to ask for her wish, offering her up to half of the kingdom. Esther finally asked for her own and her people's lives. She revealed that she was Jewish and that Haman was the mastermind behind the plan to destroy the Jews. Haman was very afraid (vv. 1-6). When the king heard the story, he became angry and went out to the palace garden, and Haman fell on the couch where Queen Esther was sitting and begged for his life. When the king returned to the banquet hall, he saw this and misunderstood Haman as trying to rape Esther. So the king's wrath grew even more, and Haman ended up hanging himself on the gallows he had erected to hang Mordecai on (vv. 7-10).

Esther 8: The Second Edict Made by Mordecai

[Summary]

The king gave all of Haman's property to Esther, and after learning of the relationship between Esther and Mordecai, he gave Mordecai the position Haman had held. As a result, Mordecai rose to the position of second-in-command in the empire (vv. 1-2). On the other hand, despite Haman's death, the edict to exterminate the Jews was still in effect, so the safety of the Jews was greatly threatened. So Esther once again asked the king to cancel the edict to exterminate the Jews, and the king granted her request (vv. 3-8). As a result, the edict with the king's seal to slaughter the enemies of the Jews was prepared and distributed to all provinces of the empire, freeing the Jews from all danger (vv. 9-14). Mordecai wore blue and white clothes, the attire of a high-ranking official, and a gold crown, and many people rejoiced at Mordecai’s appointment (vv. 15-17).

Esther 9: The Destruction of the Enemies

[Summary]

On the 13th day of the 12th month, when the Jews were supposed to be slaughtered, the enemies of the Jews were slaughtered instead. And Mordecai’s power became more and more solid (vv. 1-4). The Jews killed five hundred enemies in the castle of Susa and Haman’s sons, but they did not take the property (vv. 5-10). When the king asked Esther again for her wish, Esther asked for an extension of one day to slaughter the enemies, and the king granted her request (vv. 11-16). After that, the Jews celebrated with a feast on the 14th, and the Jews in Susa celebrated with a feast on the 15th because the slaughter period was extended by one day (vv. 17-19). Esther and Mordecai commemorated this day as the Feast of Purim and kept it from generation to generation (vv. 20-32).

Esther 10: The Greatness of Mordecai

[Summary]

King Ahasuerus's power was still strong, and he received tribute from all the provinces and all the islands. In addition, the king's numerous successful military expeditions and the historical facts that gave power to Mordecai were recorded in the chronicles of the kings. And the greatness of Mordecai is emphasized in the very last part of the book (vv. 1-3).